Labour MP John Mann, whose Bassetlaw constituency includes the prison, said his repeated warnings that "dysfunctional" management and serious staff shortages would lead to disaster had been ignored by ministers and prison officials. He said there were 80 fewer prison officers than previously - a 20% reduction - with many experienced individuals having been "forced out" over the past two years.

"It is a prison where, for quite a time, it's been clear prisoners have been running the prison. There are not the numbers or the expertise among the staff to deal with it. The governors were warned, the Government was warned, by me and by many others, that this would lead to disaster. I have raised this directly with the prisons minister more than once."

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The Labour MP whose Bassetlaw constituency includes HMP Ranby said his repeated warnings about "dysfunctional" management and serious staff shortages at the prison had been ignored by ministers and prison officials.

John Mann said: "It is a prison where, for quite a time, it's been clear prisoners have been running the prison."

He added that there were 80 fewer prison officers than previously - a 20% reduction - with many experienced individuals having been "forced out" over the past two years.

He said: "There are not the numbers or the expertise among the staff to deal with it. The governors were warned, the Government was warned, by me and by many others, that this would lead to disaster.
He added: "I have raised this directly with the prisons minister more than once."

A critical report on HMP Ranby was released following an 11-day inspection by HM Inspectorate of Prisons. It found that two prisoners died through "self-inflicted deaths" last year, and a further two have died in a similar way since the unannounced inspection in March.

Conditions in part of the prison, which holds more than 1,000 men, were dirty, prisoners were found to have climbed netting in a bid to force a transfer to another facility and nearly half the population said they had felt unsafe having been victimised or intimidated, findings showed.

Evidence was found of an increasing number of incidences of self-harm at the category C training prison, and the availability of legal highs was also found to have increased.

HMP Ranby was described as "in crisis" by the Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwick after a critical report was released about the institution.

Following an unannounced 11-day inspection by HM Inspectorate of Prisons in March, the report found two prisoners died through "self-inflicted deaths" last year, and a further two have died in a similar way since then.

Conditions in part of the prison, which holds more than 1,000 men, were described as dirty and prisoners were found to have climbed netting in a bid to force a transfer to another facility.

Nearly half the population said they had felt unsafe having been victimised or intimidated, findings showed.

Evidence was also found of an increasing number of incidences of self-harm at the category C training prison, and the availability of legal highs was also found to have increased.